


Time Stamps

by peoriapeoria



Series: The Vita-Ray AU [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anti-War Movement, Artist Steve Rogers, Children, Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, F/M, Robert Kennedy, Social Justice, WWII, domestic unrest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-08
Updated: 2013-07-21
Packaged: 2017-12-18 03:42:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/875213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peoriapeoria/pseuds/peoriapeoria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just because Schmidt is gone doesn't mean there isn't a war going on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that not only is this a movie AU, but this story's history veers off from our reality too.

June 5th, 1944

"Tonight." Steve looked at Falsworth, who smiled in a very complex way, an expression Steve would have to commit to paper some day. The Commandos had been harrying and returning to Col. Phillips and the SSR. He'd left arrangements to Peggy for their marriage.

Bucky naturally was standing as Steve's best man, while Falsworth was acting as Peggy's honor attendant to Bucky's chagrin. They had drilled the ceremony since they'd not known just when it would be. They celebrated their union in their uniforms before sunset, a chaplain officiating. Howard provided the refreshment and there was a small dance until dark.

Mid-June, 1944

The Commandos were cutting off German supply lines, and the SSR were determining if there were remaining pockets of Hydra.

July, 1944

The Commandos concentrate on reducing German damage to French ports.

August-September 1944

A combination of June and July.

October 1944

The Commandos swing around Germany and assist the Soviets in Poland. They learn first-hand how horrific and numerous the camps were. Steve punches a lot of SS officers and also has to restrain Soviet officers. Steve sends back ink-drawings of survivors, of victims, of murderers.

Early 1945

The Commandos detach and move West, to support American and British movements East.

April 12th, 1945

Franklin Delano Roosevelt dies. Steve's mother hadn't seen even the second gubernatorial term. It's made clear to the Commandos that they are to minimize the ground the Soviets can secure by making sure other allied forces get there first and hold.

May 8th, 1945

The war in Europe is over. Czechoslovakia is likely to be partitioned as is Germany. The Commandos reunite with the 107th. Steve secures Gabe Jones detached translating duties as he's not seeing him returned to a segregated unit. Likewise Morita and Dernier break off to serve in France. Falsworth rejoins his regiment sorely in need of officers. Steve looks over maps for the Pacific's War.

"Good, we're going to need someone that can direct movements." Peggy rested her chin over Steve's shoulder.

He looked at her.

"You're getting a promotion. And they're going to load you up with medals. Big splash."

Steve shook his head. He had an image of what that would look like, unless they had Lt. Murphy there too.

August 15th, 1945

The war is over. Steve is following Peggy to Korea, she has work to do. Bucky has gone back to Brooklyn with a job offer from Howard.

July 4th, 1947

"I'm pregnant." Peggy watched Steve, and smiled as he picked her up and spun her around. He put her back onto her feet and drew her down by the neck for a kiss.

"Steve?"

"I was getting concerned."

Peggy leaned her forehead against his. "Sorry."


	2. Chapter 2

1954

Steve hoists his six year old daughter onto his shoulder and his three year old son onto his other shoulder. Most of his shirts have a re-enforcing twill tape inside the collar and along the shoulder seam, to provide a more comfortable handhold than his ear.

He's happy that they are in Brooklyn, not that he disliked London, but the war was still a constant there, too much destruction, not enough men, money or materials to rebuild quickly. He likes to take long walks, walks too long for his children not to ride part of the way.

It's a good life, commercial art and commissions. Peggy works longer hours, and sometimes she travels. Stirring the alphabet soup, she calls it. He's got a system for keeping the household running, with enough play that they can enjoy the time when she is home.

1958

Steve's stopped asking Bucky when he's going to marry and settle down. Steve's noticed that neither of them are looking their ages. Some of that, he knows, is that they are living better than they had ever expected, and he's still thinking of what men that might die at fifty looked like at his age twenty years ago.

It's the Serum, and he thinks that's what Zola was trying to solve when he had Bucky strapped to that table. Bucky doesn't heal as fast as he does; he hopes that painkillers work better for him, otherwise Bucky should have a couple of Oscars.

Maybe it's nothing. It's not like he didn't look fifteen for years, while Bucky looked a man at that age.

1963

A nation mourns. Peggy isn't home for more than 48 hours total for the rest of the year. Matthew finds this very difficult, not having had her gone for so long. William is taller than Steve. Veronica is almost as tall as Bucky.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This section has some very traumatic moments of American history. Some are taken AU, some are not. I had to create some words for a real person to say in a situation that didn't happen in our world. All respect to the honored dead mentioned.

Steve has never liked bullies. He no longer fights them in alleys, now he fights them with a pen, with a pencil, with a brush. He's noticed that the draft is hitting more poor healthy young men, that the Army's desegregation-- young men like Gabe still weren't being trained as officers, still were being wasted because of their skin. He doesn't like it when his country is the bully.

He draws and he also talks to people. The amount of ribbons he's got when he wears his uniform means that people like having pictures taken with him. The Hill clerks all know where to grab a crate so his fruit salad is just below the politician's face. (And yes, the tailor did have to reinforce the left side.) Meeting with him has given people in the Pentagon cover to do what their conscience demanded when their superiors were less than keen.

That's his behind the scenes thrust, supported by his public action art. He's pretty good at making newspaper ready prints, whether they are portraits, or environments, process or events. His chop differs with how far out he is on his limb.

August 1965

The Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles reminds Steve of Europe during the War.

April 4th, 1968

Assassination. Attempt. "I'm okay. I'm wearing a vest." Didn't mean he hadn't been slammed in the chest by a train, and that had meant pulling Dr. King down behind him. Peggy might be a bit upset. This hadn't been the plan, but Steve hadn't liked that the same room had been used time after time. That the building across the street was a rooming house... They'd gotten back into the room without standing.

"Your point has been rung home."

Steve couldn't bite back the bray of laughter entirely, and even that hurt. "I'd never planned on being a bell." He probably had cracked something.

"Bell or anvil, I accept the Lord is not ready to call me home."

They prayed together, and Steve passed out.

May 5th, 1970

There are four cold bodies that used to be students. Another nine are wounded. Two of the dead are William's age, the other two twenty. They were on their campus, they were killed by the Ohio National Guard.

May 15th, 1970

Two are killed at Jackson State College and twelve are injured as police open fire on a women's dormitory. Philip Lafayette Gibbs, 21 and James Earl Green, 17, a high school senior.

End of May, 1970

Veronica graduates from college. There is no commencement; no public one. That's how her school deals with the world, after her professors hold their classes in their homes so seniors could finish on time. She'll be able to vote in November.


End file.
